Learning How to Code While Analyzing an Open Access Electrophysiology Dataset.

Conducting neuroscience research increasingly requires proficiency in coding and the ability to manipulate and analyze large datasets. However, these skills are often not included in typical neurobiology courses, partially because they are seen as accessory rather than central, and partially because of the barriers to entry. Therefore, this lesson plan aims to provide an introduction to coding in Python, a free and user-friendly programming language, for instructors and students alike. In this lesson, students edit Python code in the Jupyter Notebook coding environment to interact with cutting-edge electrophysiology data from the Allen Institute for Brain Science. Students can run their own experiments with these data to compare cell types in mice and humans. Along the way, they gain exposure to Python coding and the role of coding in the field of neuroscience.